NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – With police officers on high alert, AAA warns motorists to avoid drinking and driving this coming Sunday while partying after the Super Bowl.

No one wants to be penalized with a trip to the hospital, or behind bars for drunk driving. If you’ve been drinking during the Super Bowl, AAA will take you and your car home for free.

AAA will offer the service to drinking drivers from 6 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2, to 6 a.m. Feb. 3, in Northern California.

Drivers, potential passengers, party hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers can call 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) for a free tow home of up to ten miles.

Just tell the AAA operator, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” and a truck will be on its way.        

The service will provide a one-way ride for the driver and vehicle to the driver’s home. If there are additional passengers who need a ride, they will be taken to the driver’s home as long as there is room for them to be transported safely in the tow truck. You cannot make a reservation.

“Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most dangerous days of the year for motorists,” said Cynthia Harris, spokesperson for AAA Northern California. “If you’ve been drinking, don’t get behind the wheel. Give AAA a call and we’ll make sure you get home safely, and you don’t need to be a member to take advantage of this service.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 32,885 people died in traffic crashes in 2010 in the United States (latest figures available), including an estimated 10,228 people who died in drunk driving crashes, accounting for 31 percent of all traffic deaths that year. As little as one drink can impair vision, steering, braking, judgment and reaction time.

During Super Bowl Sunday in 2009, the California Highway Patrol reported that 11 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes. That’s three times the daily average in California. An additional 163 people were injured in crashes involving alcohol.

AAA estimates that a first time DUI conviction in California can cost up to $12,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees, and added insurance expenses. You can’t put a price tag on a crash that causes an injury or death.